What's Denzel Washington's Favorite Role He's Ever Played?

If Denzel Washington is in the movie, I'm going to see it. The guy has this uncanny ability to make me care about anyone he plays. From his turn in Glory to being a weird lawyer like in Roman J. Israel Esq., to just having fun in 2 Guns, the guy makes every movie better. Washington is one of, if not the best, living actors, and it makes sense that he would have a favorite performance he's turned in. Recently, the actor talked to Far Out Magazine about the role that wound up consuming him. See, for the first thirty years of his career, Washington played a lot of good guys. Sure, they had character arcs, but he was seen as a good guy, and not as anything else. That's why he wanted to play Detective Alonzo Harris in Antoine Fuqua’s Training Day so badly. He wanted Hollywood to see his other side. His ominous side. - YouTube www.youtube.com Washington said in 2002, “I’ve done 30 pictures and this is the first time I’ve played a truly evil character.” Washington continued, “It’s not for want of trying. It’s just that no one has ever asked me to play a bad guy before. That’s not how Hollywood perceives me.“Of course, Washington got to play the role and won an Academy Award for it. He's incredible in the movie and disappears into it. You're terrified of him, of the consequences of crossing him, and of where his temper will lead. “It’s a huge honour and privilege to play real-life heroes,” Washington says, “but there is a different kind of excitement and reward for an actor in playing a villain. I have to admit I had a lot of fun playing Harris in Training Day.” Washington told Blackfilm in 2006, “People like the bad guy. I do. I enjoyed Training Day. It was my favourite part.”It's been 25 years since Denzel Washington played that role, and since he's played both heroes and villains on screen. But the ability to have a villain role there allowed him to then get out of the audience's minds moving forward. He wasn't typecast; he was able to slip into other roles, and people were able to see other dimensions of him. Playing that villain was also a risk. If the movie was bad or he wasn't up to it, it would have damaged his career. But it wasn't bad. It was excellent. And the rest is history. Let me know what you think in the comments.

May 7, 2025 - 21:37

What's Denzel Washington's Favorite Role He's Ever Played?

If Denzel Washington is in the movie, I'm going to see it. The guy has this uncanny ability to make me care about anyone he plays. From his turn in Glory to being a weird lawyer like in Roman J. Israel Esq., to just having fun in 2 Guns, the guy makes every movie better.

Washington is one of, if not the best, living actors, and it makes sense that he would have a favorite performance he's turned in.

Recently, the actor talked to Far Out Magazine about the role that wound up consuming him. See, for the first thirty years of his career, Washington played a lot of good guys. Sure, they had character arcs, but he was seen as a good guy, and not as anything else.

That's why he wanted to play Detective Alonzo Harris in Antoine Fuqua’s Training Day so badly. He wanted Hollywood to see his other side. His ominous side.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Washington said in 2002, “I’ve done 30 pictures and this is the first time I’ve played a truly evil character.” Washington continued, “It’s not for want of trying. It’s just that no one has ever asked me to play a bad guy before. That’s not how Hollywood perceives me.“

Of course, Washington got to play the role and won an Academy Award for it. He's incredible in the movie and disappears into it. You're terrified of him, of the consequences of crossing him, and of where his temper will lead.

“It’s a huge honour and privilege to play real-life heroes,” Washington says, “but there is a different kind of excitement and reward for an actor in playing a villain. I have to admit I had a lot of fun playing Harris in Training Day.”

Washington told Blackfilm in 2006, “People like the bad guy. I do. I enjoyed Training Day. It was my favourite part.”

It's been 25 years since Denzel Washington played that role, and since he's played both heroes and villains on screen. But the ability to have a villain role there allowed him to then get out of the audience's minds moving forward. He wasn't typecast; he was able to slip into other roles, and people were able to see other dimensions of him.

Playing that villain was also a risk. If the movie was bad or he wasn't up to it, it would have damaged his career. But it wasn't bad. It was excellent.

And the rest is history.

Let me know what you think in the comments.